Lucas Neill to be Offloaded?

The hot transfer rumour of the day is that West Ham want to offload Lucas Neill, even if they don’t get a transfer free. Favourite destination appears to Galatasary and West Ham would even pay part of his wages.

I am not sure I see the Galatasary move as likely, although I certainly wouldn’t put up a fight to keep Neill, who has been a big disappointment since his high profile move two years ago.

One paper speculates that the deal will be done now but he won’t move away until the summer, when he is out of contract.

Other websites are also full of rumours of a double bid from Manchester City for Scott Parker and Craig Bellamy – a figure of £20 million is being mentioned.

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27 Responses to Lucas Neill to be Offloaded?

I agree. He puts in the odd decent performance from which he retains his first team place. That apart he’s happy to coast along and collect his wages. A Blackburn fan mate asked me what I thought of him and was pleased to hear me echo what he thought of “Our” Lucas.

Gaotygav is right. Neill has only put in the “odd decent performance” and for the money he is paid that is obviously not enough. The hierarchy all seem to think that he is a good captain, on and off the pitch, but that still doesn’t justify the wad he picks up each week. Just to get at least part of his wages off the total bill would seem to make sense although we would surely need to get another right back in. Behrami can play there but it is not his best position and it would weaken the midfield where he has, in my view, been very impressive lately. He will be needed even more there if Scott Parker goes which seems to be more likely by the day.
There have been calls for Spector to play at right back but I am not at all sure about him. I’ve never been able to work out exactly what he is. He’s a good athlete and very committed but doesn’t quite cut the mustard as a Premiership player. If Faubert is the answer it must have been a stupid question.

I’m not Neill’s biggest fan by a long way and will be pleased to see him go. I don’t think that it’s any coincidence that his performances have improved as the transfer window closed in.

I think he is a great ambassador for the club off the pitch but on it he often harangues referees when they make decisions against him (despite them being correct), which is not the sign of a good captain.

His strongest facet of the game is his pass over the top to the likes of Bellamy. His weaknesses are his pace or lack of, positioning and propensity to concede penalties, many of which he has got away with.

No one can argue with his contribution to the great escape, but since then his influence has been way below what is required of a captain.

I’ve got no problem with Neills departure. Has shown nothing like his World Cup or Blackburn form. And to believe that he was hawking for a pay rise. I don’t know how he can sleep at night. Ship him off to Turkey to join that other pea heart Kewell (this is a bit cruel as I don’t really see Lucas as lacking drive, but he is a calamity waiting to happen in our already suss defence).

The way all of this would be resolved, would be if Gudmunsson just sold the club, he’s asking for buyers to double the amount he bought it for, which is never going to happen, it’s all about him at this club, he wouldn’t be bothered if we lose key players, or get deducted points. We wouldn’t have to keep selling players, if we got a new owner!

This is nothing new Berkshire Hammer. The whole points deduction thing was reported on when Landsbanki collapsed. It has loomed over us for a long time. I guess the question to ask is “Why report on that old chestnut right now?” What is the agenda of the person writing the report? Answers on a postcard.

Hang on on a second- all this talk in the papers is merely scaremongering- Bobby is talking about having to ‘keep’ selling players, we haven’t sold anyone yet?? If you are referring to Ferdinand and McCartney I think all will agree that it was great business and they have been replaced with better alternatives!! I know that these blogs and fansites are a chance to vent worries and frustrations but I am quietly optimistic that we will actuallt stregthen in this window with a young talent or two plus lose some of our deadwood.

As an aside, last weekend there were suggestions that Bellamy was left out of the team as he had already been sold when in fact he was suspended for the game having picked up five yellows. Parker is suspended for tomorrows game for the same reason so please don’t get drawn into believing he has been sold when he doesn’t play! COYI

a hammers supporter for close on 50 years I am tempted to say will the last one leaving upton park please turn out the lights (but they probably wont be on as we havent paid the electric bill) This is all getting me so depressed.

It’s getting very tedious reading in the papers about our plight. Hopefully they have got the most part wrong and we are not about to go to the wall.
It’s even more tiring hearing fans going with the idea that selling our best players is in anyway right for the team and the club as a whole.
Neil is not in anyway my favourite player but like it or lump it, is the best right back at the club. Fans go on about the money he is on, but didnt the ‘honest’ Duxbury claim no player broke the strict wage structure last year which is capped , according to him at £56k a week. I have lots issues with players wages but in todays premiership market, that is not that high.
If this was Brown still acting as chairmen, there would be demos taking place, I cant see why this Fridge man is getting away with ripping the heart out of our club and getting a scab like Duxbury tell the stories.
Let’s hope it all not true and this current load of crooks sell up A.S.A.P

Just shows how stupid the club was paying so much for Neill that we have to offer to pay half his salary to get rid of him! Freddie all over again…..

As for 20million for Bellers and Parker, if a club had offered that in the Summer I would of bitten their hand off because no way are they worth 20million collectively but mid season it would be suicide, there is no way we would be able to replace them unless shelling out the 20million we just recouped.

That was interesting. Which would mean that the ball will be firmly in the buyers court when the sell finally happens. I think BG can forget about the 250million he wants, I reckon it will be closer to 130million.

Anyway who cares if they don’t find a buyer we will be starting next season with -9pts!

Agree with D & G selling now is crazy.
neil is crap, end off.
Question for everyone Will anyone buy us at present? or is is better for buyers to wait until we go into administration, which is R.I.P for us.
I’m a little confused!!!!
Iain can you shed any light on this for me?

bg doesnt have to sell now,bellamy wants to go,bellamy wants to stay,bellamy bid stands at 15 mill,upson wants to stay,upson wanted by arsenal,arsenal have no money to spend,spurs want green,spurs want given,spurs want everyone,spurs want to win 2 cups and are a top 4 side……man im confused.ian we all need to have one focus for facts…the papers and sky are having a field day at our expence.who the hell are we to believe? i fro one would love to believe the club but with duxbury coming out with statements it doesnt mean a thing,he simply has stoked up a hornets nest.

The sale ,or even disposal, of any player in January will be seen as confirmation that we are in sereious trouble. However, this is not good for BG. If the club looks vulnerable or weaker in any way, this will drag the price of the club down (even from £130mil) and having just gone through administration myself, this is the last thing he will want. So surely, keep your dressing room stable (its not what we think of Neill, but what the team think!), raise £8 mil from fringe players ( Quarshie, Davenport, Faubert +), buy one decent name and given our 10th place we’re looking pretty good for selling!

The arbitration and point deduction claims in the Guardian are nonsense. Hansa Holdings is not the affiliate of the PL, West Ham Utd PLC is! This was confirmed by the PL itself when the Icelandic court hearing was first reported some weeks back. Indeed, the PL allegedly contacted the club to check that the finances of West Ham Utd PLC were ok and that there was no future administration issue forthcoming. The PL were satisfied with the clubs response, end of!

Someone at the Guardian has just stumbled across an old story and tried to give it new legs. However, it has now started a bandwagon and we all know how our rubbish popular press love one of those! It is just wishful thinking on their part, you can anticipate their vindictive and illogical logic now, Hammers get their just deserts that they should have received when they unfairly relegated (according to them) their mates at Sheffield Utd!!!!

The press are totally unethical, but have you noticed how they love to moralise about issues, taking an holier than thou attitude. Remember all the columns of ink wasted by tabloid hacks displaying their ignorance of the facts of the Tevez case and reaching the same irrational and stupid conclusion that the Hammers should have been punished twice for the same offence and relegated in the blunts place. Never take a lesson in morality from a tabloid hack! lol.

No, I would not sell Neill in January. That defence is really solid and any January sales that weaken it are ill advised. I do not believe it myself, just as I do not believe that he is on 80k a week either! More tabloid nonsense about our great club.

I’v seen Neill play an number of times and he’s slow on the turn, gets caught out off position, always pulls the shirt of opposition players, is quite good going forward. In short, he’s a very poor defending player who has cost us number of points this season.

Happy to see him go. I understand he’s on 60K aweek, so I’m sure we can move him on – get a better replacement for less cost.

Pleased for Zola and Clark, I hope it goes well for them for the rest of the season. COYI.

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About Iain Dale

I'm a season ticket holder in the Dr Martens Lower and originally come from Saffron Walden in Essex, although I now live in Tunbridge Wells. By day I am a political writer and commentator for various media organisations including the Daily Telegraph, the BBC and Sky News. I am also publisher of the new monthly magazine called TOTAL POLITICS. I want this blog to be a mixture of gossip, humour, reporting and analysis - with the odd rant thrown in too. My other blog is a political one at http://iaindale.blogspot.com and if West Ham Till I Die attracts half as many readers as that, I'll be very happy.